From germinating seeds in novelty head planters, to exploring minute bugs on flower petals under the microscope in the senior school science labs, Year 1 students have been busy discovering all about ecology.
The students’ classroom has been alive with a focus on plants, as they have been exploring ‘Living things live in different places where their needs are met’ – part of this term’s IB unit of inquiry, under the theme Sharing the Planet.
Students sowed ryegrass, cress, and barley seeds into individual planters, and the resulting straight haired, curly headed and some sparse haired grassy heads were a fun way to watch the germination process and understand a plant’s needs.
A visit to the Science labs further enhanced the students’ understanding about plants, and lab manager Mr Gordon McLennan challenged the students’ thinking as they pondered why flowers are such an array of different colours and shapes.
“I enjoyed looking at the flowers under the microscope because you could see very small bugs on the flowers! I learnt that if the bees go away, the plants also go from that habitat,” said Euan Billingsley said.
Tom Rowe said it was also wonderful to experience what the “big kids” in senior school get to do, by having access to the school science laboratories.
“I enjoyed sharing my ideas with Mr McLennan and I also enjoyed looking at the stuff in the science lab and the various experiments that were ready to go,” he said.
Peyton Slade (with Tom Rowe in background) enjoy looking at different parts of flowers, under the microscope
